sashay
Americanverb (used without object)
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to glide, move, or proceed easily or nonchalantly.
She just sashayed in as if she owned the place.
-
to chassé in dancing.
verb
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to move, walk, or glide along casually
-
to move or walk in a showy way; parade
Etymology
Origin of sashay
1830–40, metathetic variant of chassé ( def. )
Explanation
To sashay is to walk with an exaggerated flounce. Fashion models sometimes sashay down the runway. When you sashay, you're showing off — but in a deliberately casual way. Kids playing dress up might sashay, and the most popular middle school students might sashay into class on the first day. You can also use sashay to describe a dance step, both a sideways square dance move and a ballet step; it's a mispronunciation of the French ballet term chassé, "gliding step," from chasser, "to chase," since one foot "chases" the other.
Vocabulary lists containing sashay
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On a sunny afternoon last week, a huge crowd gathered to watch models sashay and pivot, showcasing pieces from bales once discarded as unwearable or unsellable.
From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2025
The band is an explosion of coordinated energy, with far more activity than the average marching band as its members skip, high kick and sashay, all while playing a tune.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2024
Break out your rainbow boas and glittering tiaras and sashay your way to this can’t-miss show.
From Seattle Times ● May 31, 2024
His sashay onto the stage could form a TikTok video on its own, but here it only fills five seconds out of his 15-minute slot.
From BBC ● Aug. 22, 2023
A slow, low thunder rumbles in the distance and a cooler breeze blows through, making the reeds that stand tall along the water’s edge sashay against the dock.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
